Helen Owens, Founder of Her Secret Hair
Name: Helen Owens
Founder: Her Secret Hair
Who is Helen Owens?
My story of triumph began as a child. I started losing my hair as a pre-teen and had 2 kids before I reached my 17th birthday. My struggle with severe dyslexia and growing up in poverty as an African- American girl meant I was destined to never achieve anything in life. I spent my life fighting not to become a statistic, and today I specialize in developing hair treatments, hair coloring, and custom cranial prostheses that are non-invasive and align with the special-needs of immunocompromised women. I'm the recipient of several awards for my work in uplifting and inspiring communities of women. I’ve co-authored an award-winning book, and shared words of wisdom with women everywhere as a hair industry confidant and podcast host.
In less than three sentences tell us about your company and what you do.
My job is to heal. I am an award-winning hair replacement specialist for women like me, who are losing their hair and cannot benefit from traditional, mass-market-stock wigs and hair extensions. When a woman who is facing challenges sits in my chair I am tasked with the restoration, reconstruction, and renewal of both her hair and spirit.
What does BEING a FoundHer mean to you?
It means leading with love and compassion so that others can rise. It means helping others to understand who they truly are so they can navigate the world around them with a strong, well-calibrated she-compass. It’s about reminding others to believe in their own power so that they may discover their genius and uniquely impact the world in their own way.
How do you support other female founders and women in business?
After decades of practicing the work of healing others, I’ve become a sounding board for women in all walks of life. Whether she is a CEO searching for a shoulder to lean on, a business owner looking for sage advice, or a woman starting her career who I’ve encouraged to dream big, what the ladies in my circle know is that I’m always here to uplift and empower.
At what point did you make your company a full time gig? How did you know the time was right?
My work found me. When I lost my hair as a child there were no options available for balding women. With the gift of my father’s artistic hands I set out to create customized hairpieces that would fool the naked eye into believing my client’s hair piece was their own hair. While raising two kids as a teenager I put myself through cosmetology school as a full-time housekeeper until I built a strong enough clientele to do this work full time. That was decades ago, and I am blessed to have helped heal so many women.
What lesson or skill did you take with you from a prior job to help you succeed in your role today?
While I have been self-employed my entire career, the one key lesson I took from my life struggles is to believe in myself when no one else could. I learned that the only choices that matter are the ones that are right for me, and to never let the opinions of others define my future.
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